Tokoto to UNC

[Skitch]

so he attends multiple free games and then he doesnt play here.....trash

Unless he's on an official visit I believe he pays his own way for those games.

If that was meant to be sarcasm or a teal font, good one.

[TallTitan34]

JP I hope you stick it to these badger fans if you ever play them!  Good luck at UNC!

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=193&f=2565&t=7264501

[IAmMarquette]

so he attends multiple free games and then he doesnt play here.....trash

If this is a serious comment, you are a jackass.

Mods, apologies for name-calling.

[TallTitan34]

Badger fans are calling JP and his family classless for calling Bo during the game to tell him his decision. 

[4everwarriors]

Here's a clue. We ain't gettin' Koenig either.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Here's a clue. We ain't gettin' Koenig either.

Correct.  The pushing of SC out did not help in that regard either.  That is not opinion, that is straight from several coaches mouths in the LaCrosse area. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Badger fans are calling JP and his family classless for calling Bo during the game to tell him his decision. 

On the JSOnline site?  I wouldn't trust that site...I see again tonight there is someone posing as me with about 15 posts.  A lot of impersonators over there. 

Or is this on the Scout site...in which case I'm not surprised at all.   

[brewcity77]

The Scout site is great humor. Badger fans saying that JPT was never the focus, that Sam Dekker was always their top target for 2012, calling him and his family classless, accusing UNC of offering a job to Trimble, and basically just whining.

I'm glad it's over. As much as I wanted Tokoto, and as much as his talent would help, he plays our lowest need position. In terms of athletic wing players, we have Wilson ready to start next year with Jamail Jones, Juan Anderson, and Jamal Ferguson lined up for the next few years. Now we need to focus on our other needs. Get us a scoring guard and point for 2011 and a big man for 2012. Go to it, Buzz!

[willie wampum]

The only coach Tokoto bothered to call was Bo Ryan, so UW was definitely his second choice.

[brewcity77]

The only coach Tokoto bothered to call was Bo Ryan, so UW was definitely his second choice.

That's all PR spin. The kid's first priority in his own words when picking a school was the pace they played at. He said UW was second to appease the mass of Wisconsin fans in the state, but he never would have played there. If Roy had decided to look elsewhere with the scholarship, JP would have chosen UConn or Kentucky or Kansas, and UW would have been his second choice. If the entire country outside of Wisconsin had blown up, he would have chosen Marquette or Milwaukee and UW would have been his second choice. UW being the second choice was always how it was going to be, but only for PR reasons.

[MattyWarrior]

Big Deal! I hope he does well but he could end up being just another guy...We
got JA.

[brewcity77]

I'll be curious to see if this also leads Koenig to UNC. I figured that was sewn up when Williams broke his rule about not offering until after a player's sophomore year. Would be absolutely floored if Koenig went anywhere other than UNC now, especially with JPT already in the fold.

[willie wampum]

That's all PR spin. The kid's first priority in his own words when picking a school was the pace they played at. He said UW was second to appease the mass of Wisconsin fans in the state, but he never would have played there. If Roy had decided to look elsewhere with the scholarship, JP would have chosen UConn or Kentucky or Kansas, and UW would have been his second choice. If the entire country outside of Wisconsin had blown up, he would have chosen Marquette or Milwaukee and UW would have been his second choice. UW being the second choice was always how it was going to be, but only for PR reasons.

If this was all just PR, he would have done the classy thing and called all the coaches on his "list."  He just called Bo.  That tells you something.

BTW, if it came down to having to choose between UW and MU, there was a 95% chance he picks the Badgers.  For whatever reason, things didn't click with Buzz. 

[BCHoopster]

JP is not the issue at MU right now, a Jordan Taylor type scoring point is.  Watching Junior pass up shot
after shot against Cinci is puzzling.  Not sure how good D. Wilson is?  Has anybody seen him play?  I am
not sure MU can ride Junior the next two years.  Hope I am wrong.  Secondly, Buzz needs a 6'8'' player
or better who can attack the glass.  It looks like Jamil is tall but plays soft.  Jae really is a small forward and
Erik looks like a small forward as well.  Need a 2 with sometype of talent, anybody left?  Also, I think the kid
that just left OU looks the real deal, JT Taylor?  If Mayo is looking at UCF, is he serious about playing in the
Big East or just wants to be the big fish there, UCF, how serious is he about hoops?

[brewcity77]

If this was all just PR, he would have done the classy thing and called all the coaches on his "list."  He just called Bo.  That tells you something.

BTW, if it came down to having to choose between UW and MU, there was a 95% chance he picks the Badgers.  For whatever reason, things didn't click with Buzz.

Yup, tells me that his family is smart enough to know how to appease most of the fans in the state. I'm sorry, but leaving a voicemail during the UW game doesn't tell me that he was really honestly considering UW. If UNC hadn't worked out, he would have put off the decision for a few months, picked another out-of-state powerhouse that played up-tempo ball, and UW would have been second. Just look at what JP himself said about the type of game he wanted to play. His top priority was pace. Sorry, but there's no way anyone prioritizes on pace and picks UW. Never would have happened. One phone call doesn't change that.

[BCHoopster]

If this was all just PR, he would have done the classy thing and called all the coaches on his "list."  He just called Bo.  That tells you something.

BTW, if it came down to having to choose between UW and MU, there was a 95% chance he picks the Badgers.  For whatever reason, things didn't click with Buzz. 

Tobacco spitting, not cool

[MattyWarrior]

Warriors and Badgers were never in the mix. He was just making nice. Its a shame the "marquee" schools get what they want and we always have to scatch and claw He's no harrison barnes, gonna have to work hard after playing in the mighty metro conference..

[BCHoopster]

He will have a hard time like any freshman but at NC for
sure, talent is over abundant there.  Hope he likes practice.

[VegasWarrior77]

When it's all said and done, Vander Blue will have a better college career than JPT!

[BCHoopster]

When it's all said and done, Vander Blue will have a better college career than JPT!

I totally question that point.  Did you see Vanders shot from the corner, looks like he has
a hitch in his shot right now, it was horrible.  And that lay-up he got pinned to the glass,
it was put up like an 8th grader.  Long way to go.  Tokoto problems might stem from his
size, not sure where he plays, awful skinny.  Both are tremendous athletics, hope they
both turn out for the best.

[wadesworld]

BCHoopster, are you speaking
In poetry?
Let's be honest
Here
Nobody knows where JP
Tokoto would have gone
Had he not gone to UNC
because it was always going to be UNC
There was no second option
It was UNC and then
UNC and then
UNC

Tokoto said he called each of
the coaches that had made his final 8
He said it was a very difficult
decision
So I don't know where this idea that
"He only called Bo and Roy"
He called 8 coaches, and said he spoke
To each in person
But Bo was coaching his game.

[Doris Burkes Thong]

BCHoopster, are you speaking
In poetry?Let's be honest
Here
Nobody knows where JP
Tokoto would have gone
Had he not gone to UNC
because it was always going to be UNC
There was no second option
It was UNC and then
UNC and then
UNC

Tokoto said he called each of
the coaches that had made his final 8
He said it was a very difficult
decision
So I don't know where this idea that
"He only called Bo and Roy"
He called 8 coaches, and said he spoke
To each in person
But Bo was coaching his game.

Funny as hell man. Thanks for the good humor.

[Doris Burkes Thong]

I think Jamil Wilson is basically the same kind of player as JP with the same level of athleticism. I think Jamil has the chance to be really good at MU. I'll be interesting to see who has the better career.

[pmi]

After Tokoto's public announcement, I talked with him one-on-one about his decision to choose North Carolina. He said it was a 'no-brainer.'

You can read my full story here: http://bit.ly/TokotoUNC

[wadesworld]

Funny as hell man. Thanks for the good humor.

Haha no problem. In all seriousness I honestly think we had as much of a chance to land him as the 7 other "finalists"...0%. Which is why I don't think we'll ever know who was "#2" on his list...because there was no #2. We never had a chance with hi, but neither did UCONN, Kentucky, Kansas, or UW. It was UNC all along. And I can't blame him. If I was a 17 year old basketball player in Wisconsin with my choice of literally anywhere to go it'd be UNC in a heartbeat. And the kid will be a stud for them. The 1 thing that will keep him from starting there from day 1 is his lack of an outside shot, which he'll improve a great deal on over the next year and a half He'll still see significant time his freshman year and start his sophomore year. His athleticism is off the charts.

Best of luck JP.

And I agree that Jamil will be a stud for us as well. Can't wait to watch him develop here.